“Ye Are Come To Mount Zion”

Introduction

I. 	Last week we talked about trees with bad and good fruit.
II. 	Just as trees individually and collective have great beauty and attraction to us, so are mountains beautiful.
III. 	The Jews of the Old Testament loved their mountains.
IV. 	In our lesson today we will consider thoughts from the Old Testament about the mountains of Israel, but will see that if we are faithful to God, we will have come to Mount Zion.
 
Body

I.    The Jews loved their mountains.  
A. 	David prepared a song in which he spoke of mountains.  
1. 	He told of God’s blessings at Sinai and in the wilderness.  Ps. 68:7-10.
2. 	He tells of the mountain of Bashan in the northeast of Israel.  Ps. 68:15-18.
	       a.  You will notice that verse 18 is quoted in Eph. 4:8 and applied to Christ.
B. 	God instructed Ezekiel to prophecy against the mountains of Israel.
1. 	Ezekiel had symbolized the destruction of Jerusalem in Ezek. 4 and 5.
2. 	He then gives a second discourse of condemnation on the mountains.              Ezek. 6:1-14.
C. 	After the Babylonian captivity, Ezekiel pronounces God’s blessings on the mountains.  Ezek. 36:1-37.
1. 	God could never bring the blessings on them which He desired, because they were disobedient.  
2. 	Moses spoke God’s covenant to Israel where He declared that the people would be punished because they forsook His covenant and worshipped other gods.  (Deut. 29:1-29.)
3. 	God promised to bless the people who would return unto Him, but this required turning unto God with all their heart and soul.  Deut. 30:1-14.
4. 	The blessing and the curse were set before Israel.  Deut. 30:15-20.
D. 	It is truly sad to see how Israel rejected God.
1. 	This should serve as a warning to us.
2. 	Our response to God determines whether we receive the blessing or the curse.
  
II. 	We have come to Mount Zion where there are more blessings than were given to Israel.
A. 	We have not come to a mount that quaked as did Sinai.  Heb. 12:18-21.
B. 	We are come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God which is the heavenly Jerusalem.  Heb. 12:22-29.
1. 	The Hebrews had come to greater blessings than their fathers had received.     Vss. 22-24.
2. 	God is still the judge and must be heard.  Vs. 23b.
3. 	Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant.  Vs. 24.
4. 	We must listen to God as He speaks.  Vss. 25-27.
5. 	We have received a kingdom which cannot be shaken, but must remember that “our God is a consuming fire.”  Vss. 28-29.

  

“Ye Are Come To Mount Zion”, page 2.

Conclusion

I. 	Israel loved its mountains, but lost them because of unbelief as they disobeyed God.
II. 	We as the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16) have come to far greater blessings.  
III. 	We must realize the necessity of faithfulness in our lives lest we, too, lose our mount Zion.
IV. 	Let those who have not obeyed the Lord do so now.  Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27.

Prepared by:
   David Arnold
   August 8, 1999